Three million Venezuelans have fled the country amid one of the largest mass exoduses of recent history


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Hanna Bogorowski | Journalist

The UN refugee agency announced Thursday that its number of refugees and migrants fleeing Venezuela despite the country's severe economic recession reached 3 million.

Data from national immigration authorities revealed that Latin America and the Caribbean neighbors had close to 2.4 million Venezuelans, while the country was experiencing one of the largest mass exoduses in recent history. the western region.

"The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have largely maintained a laudable open door policy towards refugees and migrants from Venezuela; However, their reception capacity is very limited and requires a firmer and more immediate response from the international community if this generosity and solidarity continue, "said Eduardo Stein, UN Special Representative for Refugees and the UN refugee agency. International Organization for Migration, in charge of refugees and migrants. Venezuela, said in a statement. (RELATED: The economic crisis in Venezuela pushes women into prostitution in Colombia)

Venezuela has been suffering for five years from a devastating economic crisis that has plunged the country into economic collapse, hyperinflation and a complete collapse of public goods and services, including deteriorating roads, crime shortages and lack of adequate medicines. for the sick.

The conditions of the socialist country have provoked massive outflows of migration out of the country, leading to an intensification of contagion effects in neighboring countries. As Stein says, the reception capacity of these neighboring countries is extremely limited.

Colombia currently has the largest number of Venezuelan refugees, more than one million people, and about 3,000 more arrive each day.

A Venezuelan migrant with her son rests on a street in Cali, Colombia, September 22, 2018. - More than one million Venezuelans have entered Colombia since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2014 with the fall in the price of oil. Many travel to Ecuador, Peru and Chile, and even beyond. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP) (The photo credit should read: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP / Getty Images)

A Venezuelan migrant woman with her son lies on a street in Cali, Colombia, on September 22, 2018. (Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP / Getty Images)

According to the Wall Street Journal, Venezuela's annual inflation rate reached 833,997% in October, reaching 1 million% by the end of the year, as predicted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July.

The World Bank said the conditions could not change and the surrounding countries should be ready to welcome more Venezuelans on the run, the Miami Herald reported.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley visited the Colombian border in August to observe the humanitarian crisis in the region and announced that his country would provide nearly $ 9 million in assistance to those fleeing Venezuela.

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